Transition-metal-free α-arylation of nitroketones with diaryliodonium salts for the synthesis of tertiary α-aryl, α-nitro ketones.

Transition-metal-free α-arylation of α-nitroketones with diaryliodonium salts has been realized for the first time. As an application of this methodology, a concise synthesis of the clinical drug tiletamine was also achieved via a three-step procedure from 2-nitrocyclohexanone without the isolation of intermediates.